The art of golf putters has been extremely well developed since the Scots first began playing the game centuries ago. Various materials have been used for golf club shafts, ranging from hickory and willow to metals and space-age technology graphite reinforced resin composites. At the present time, most golf club shafts are made of steel which is then chrome plated and a rubber or composition grip is then glued to the shaft. Steel shafts are usually continuously tapered or step-tapered from a thin tip end to the handle or butt end and are designed with flexibility characteristics for wood or iron head clubs intended to be swung for full or partial shots rather than for putters. These same steel shafts are then cut down to a length appropriate for putter shafts. Although the shortening increases the stiffness of the shaft, cut down steel shafts are generally less stiff than desired for putters. The butt end is of suitable diameter to receive a wound or sleeve type grip which increases the grip size to accommodate the hands of the golfer.
Ingenious golf putter developments in the past have resulted in various configurations including those having single and double bend steel shafts; straight steel shafts with or without fluting over a portion of their length; and straight shafts made of other materials such as fiberglass or graphite composites and alloys. Apart from special bends or fluting, most shafts used in prior art putters are ordinary steel shafts not specially constructed for putter use. The butt or handle ends of these shafts are of circular cross-section having a typical diameter in the range of from 0.580-0.600 inches for receiving a grip of rubber or leather or other non-slip generally soft material. The exterior grip configuration may vary within the Official Rules of Golf.
In direct contrast with golf club shafts intended for woods and irons where achieving maximum distance is one of the major objectives accomplished by cocking of the wrists on the backswing and uncocking or release of the wrists on the downswing to generate high club head speed, putters should have stiff shafts and the golfer's wrists preferably should not break when executing a putting stroke. Clubhead speed is generated best when the weight of the club is concentrated in the head. A good putting stroke is quite the opposite in that it is accepted wisdom in teaching circles that the golfer should not cock or break his wrists during the putting stroke. Instead, the triangle formed by the golfer's shoulders and arms is generally kept in a constant configuration to control speed and direction of the putt. This suggests that the ideal putter should have characteristics which assist the golfer in keeping his wrists stiff or firmly locked when putting. Accordingly, the handle should be configured (in conformity with the Official Rules of Golf) to assist the golfer in keeping his wrists firm during the putting stroke. Also, it is thought that the putter weight distribution need not emphasize weight of the club head but could and perhaps should instead place greater weight toward the handle end of the club such that the balance point is more toward the mid-point of the club shaft rather than only a few inches from the blade as is conventional.